LONDON: Senior British minister Michael Gove on Sunday described a video showing a party at the ruling Conservative Party`s headquarters during a lockdown in 2020 as `terrible`, as Covid rule-breaking gatherings continue to hang over the government.

The video was published by the Mirror newspaper just days after a parliamentary committee ruled that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson had wilfully misled lawmakers about rule-breaking lockdown parties at his office.

The 45-second clip shows revellers partying in December 2020 when the British public in London were banned from socialising indoors to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

People can be seen dancing and drinking in the video. Two of those at the gathering, which had previously been investigated by police when a still photo of it emerged, were given honours by Johnson in his resignation list earlier this month.

`It`s terrible,` Gove, the housing minister, told Sky News. `I think it`s completely out of order. I just want to apologise to everyone really.` The issue of rule-breaking during Covid lockdowns helped bring down Johnson, who left office last year, and still hangs over the Conservatives and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Johnson stepped down as a member of parliament on June 9, days before the privileges committee the main disciplinary body for lawmakers issued its damning verdict on him, re-opening divisions in the party and re-igniting public anger.-Reuters